Quick release box for parachute harness



Dec' 18, 1945- B. H. TURNER ET AL `2,391,204

QUICK RELEASE BOX FOR PARACHU'E HARNESSES l l V.- l A F/aa. 2a 32 Dec. 18, 1945. I B. H. TURNER ET AL 2,391,204

QUICK RELEASE BOX FOR PARACHUTE HARNESSES www M j @dwf/L Dec. 18, 1945. l B. H. TURNER ET`AI. *2,391,204

QUICK RELEASE BOX FOR PARACHUTE HARNESSES Filed Nov. 12, 1945 s sheetssheet 5 "8 29 .l je 2z '-as- 9 y aa as F/G] 2a separated by curved abutments or ribs I1 on the underside of said roof-plate. The eyes I6 are engaged and retained by latch teeth I8 and`|9 which are fixed to or are part of an annular lock ing plate 20. The plate is axially movable Within the casing against the pressure of loading springs 2| sleeved on guide-posts 22 which freely enter holes 23 in said plate. The posts 22 are fixed to the floor-plate I3 as shown at 24. The floor-plate or the casing body may be furnished with usual lug or plate extension (not shown) having a slot therein to enable the box unit to be permanently secured by a thong or band to a suitable part of the harness. If required, however, such a lug or plate extension may be dispensed within the present invention, and may then be replaced by making one of the latch teeth 9 for example) appreciably taller than the other teeth (I8). This provision of. a tall tooth such as |9 prevents the particular harness eye associated therewith, from leaving the box when the other teeth (I8) are released, or at other times, so that said particular harness eye constitutes the permanent connection of the box to the harness. This connection is made when the quick-release box is assembled. It will be appreciated that the four eyes |6 may be effectively separated from each other notwithstanding the fact that one of them remains secured to the quick-release box.

'Ihe roof-plate I2 has a central smoothly bored orifice 25 which forms a bearing for the actuating bolt 59. This bolt is provided with a head 26, a shoulder 21 and a threaded shank 28. The head 26 may be integral with the remainder of the bolt, or it may be moulded on to an anchorage lug 29 as shown. The shank 28 carries a nut 39 which is freely disposed within the open centre of the locking plate 20. The said nut has end anges 3| and 32 which are adapted to bear upon the thinned edge margin 33 of the locking plate centre hole. The nut is restrained against rotation by a key-post 34 fixed to the floor-plate I3. Key-post 34 has a sliding t in keyways 35 formed in the nut iianges 3| and 32 and the margin 33. The bolt may be bored, as at 36, as a sliding flt for a steadying post 3l fixed on the floor-plate |3. The shoulder 21 has the cam groove 38 formed therein. A follower pin 39 which works in saidv groove, has a sliding t in a bore 48 in the roof-plate I2. The said pin is radially thrust into the cam groove 38 by a spring 4I which bears against an abutment pin 42 held in position within a bore 43 by one of the set screws I4.

Figs. l and 5 show the box with its parts in locked or harness retention position. In this position the follower pin 39 is seated in cam groove depression 44, the bolt is in its lower-most `position`relative to the casing, and the nut 39 is in its highest position, with its flange 32 bearing under the margin 33 and thereby positively preventing descent of the locking plate 29 from its locked position.

When a harness release is to be effected, the bolt is turned (by means of head 26) through the full range of its rotatory movements, namely, three-quarters -ef one revolution. The first third of this range (a quarter revolution) brings the point B of the cam-groove 38 (see Figs. 9 and 10) in line with the centre of the follower pin 39. The cam-groove portion from A to B is horizontal, and hence the said follower pin prevents the bolt from rising orfalling during this quarter revolution. Because of this, and because of the non-rotatability of the nut 30, the latter is caused to descend from its position shown in Fig. l. The bolt thread is such that the quarter revolution is just sufficient to lower` the top iiange 3|. on to (or substantially on to) the top face of the locking plate margin 33.

The second quarter revolution of the head 26 brings the point C of the cam-groove in line with Vthe follower pin 39, said pin homing in shallow depression 45. The cam-groove portion from B to C, is inclined at the same angle as the helix angle of the bolt thread, and consequently the nut 30 is not 4moved during the second quarter revolution of the bolt, the motion being manifested as a rise or partial emergence of the bolt in or from the casing.

The third and final quarter revolution of head 26 brings the point D of the cam-groove 38 in line with the follower pin 39, said pin having swept over high portion 46 and down the step 4lto rest on the flat 48. During this third quarter-turn, the springs 2| effectively oppose downward movement of the nut 39 and hence the final quarter turn is externally manifested as a further partial emergence of the bolt from the casing.l The positions of the several parts at the end of this final quarter revolution, that is, unlocked positions, are shown in Fig. 3.

Release of the harness eyesfrom the unlocked box is effected by a hand slap or ground pressure on the head 26, or other pressure or blow thereon, suflicient to compress the springs 2| and thereby descend the locking plate 2U as shown in Fig. 3. When the releasing blow is administered, the bolt 59, the nut 39 and the locking plate 29 all descend as one piece, thereby clearing the latch teeth I8 from their respective eyes, whileV tooth I9 (if included as a tall tooth) retains its particular eye (I6) as shown in Fig. 3.

The releasing blow causes the flat 48 to slide under the follower pin 39 which consequently seats itself (as shown in Fig. 3) at the D end of a return groove 49. This return groove extends from D to C (Fig. 10) and ends in the depression 45.

When relooking the quick-release box, that is, re-inserting and relooking the harness eyes therein, the head is back rotated a quarter revolution from D to C, the follower pin 39 sweeping the cam groove portion 49 and reseating itself in depression 45. This brings the box parts to the load positions shown in Fig. 4. VWhen the nut 30 has moved down the shaft 28 so that the top flange 3| rests on the top of the thinned margin 33 of the locking -plate 28 a space exists between the underneath side of the said locking plate and the lower flange 32 of nut 39. This space allows the locking plate 20 to tilt downwards so that the Yharness eyes I6 may be readily thrust on the latch teeth I8 against resilient opposition due to the springs 2|. The box is relocked by further back turning of the head 26 until the parts are again as shown in Fig. 1, that is, with the n-ut 30 raised up the screw shank 28 to the top position, this time with the space between the anges 3| and 32 above the thinned edge 33, allowing the lower flange now screwed up tightly to the lower side of the part 20 to lock this locking plate mechanically to the roof I2 of the box with the follower pin 39 seated in depression 44. The complete movement cycle of the said follower pin relative to the cam groove is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 10.

Whatis claimed is:

1. A parachute harness quick-release box, coma casing having apertures each able to harness attachment eye, a spring loaded annular locking plate which is axially movable within said casing, latch teeth on said locking -plate which are ableto engage harness attachment eyes homed in saidv apertures, a rotatable and longitudinally movable actuating bolt in said casing, a non-rotatable nut on said bolt having end flanges lying on opposite sides of said locking plate, said bolt having a cam groove, and a spring loaded follower pin associated with said cam groove; the arrangement of said parts being such that a part rotation of said bolt and a subsequent endwise movement thereof enable release of harness attachment eyes from said casing.

2. A quick-release box according to claim 1 in which the cam groove is of the form herein described and diagrammatically illustrated by Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.

prising, accommodate a 3. A quick-release box according to claim 1, which includes one latch tooth oi sufficient height to constitute a permanent connection between said box and a harness eye.

4. A quick-release box according to claim 1 in which the cam groove is of the form herein described and diagrammatically illustrated by Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings and includes a rst horizontal portion, a second angularly inclined portion, a third at portion, and a iinal return portion terminating at the lower end of said inclined portion, said box including one latch tooth of sulcient height to constitute a permanent connection between said box and a harness eye.

BENJAMIN HORACE TURNER. GEORGE BRERETON SADLEIR FALKINER. 

